Insertion-type packaging method and packaging set for plate-shaped materials

ABSTRACT

The present invention provides for a packaging method and a packaging structure or a packaging set, particularly for plate-shaped goods. In particular, the present invention relates to a packaging method and a packaging set, and especially a plug-in connection type packaging set, which can specifically be arranged around plate shaped goods of different sizes while acting as a shock absorber, spacer, anti-skid device and static stabilising device. The packaging structure is further provided with a base plate and a cover of a transport container that is designed so a to match the unconventional inner packaging set while fitting on conventional pallets.

The present invention relates to a packaging method and a packagingstructure or a packaging set, particularly for plate-shaped goods. Inparticular, the present invention relates to a packaging method and apackaging set, and especially a plug-in connection-type packaging setwhich can specifically be arranged around plate-shaped goods ofdifferent sizes while acting as a shock absorber, spacer, anti-skiddevice and static stabilising device. The packaging structure is furtherprovided with a base plate and a cover of a transport container that isdesigned so as to match the unconventional inner packaging set whilefitting on conventional pallets.

In view of the steadily rising costs for waste disposal, an increasedenvironmental awareness among producers and customers and thetime-consuming and expensive method of securing goods in a container byusing filling or padding materials, it has become a necessity to thinkover new packaging methods, which has been done in all political andeconomical forums in Europe.

Conventional container packaging for sensitive plate-shaped goods, suchas offset printing plates, involves two major problems:

The first problem consists in the varying plate sizes. Up to 200standard sizes have to be accommodated in respective containers, whichconstitutes a logistic problem for purchasing, stocking and storing, andselection. Furthermore, shocks and friction caused by shifting withinthe container may damage the plates, thus rendering them useless tocustomers.

In order to reduce the danger of damage during transport, an expensiveand time-consuming spacing and padding method was developed, which isshown in FIGS. 17 to 20. A conventional container consists of a fibreboard bottom with a low rim open at one side to make machine platestacking possible. Upon placing the plates on the container bottom, therim has to be upended and fixed. This step and all further steps of thepackaging process have to be accomplished manually due to the differentcontainer sizes. Then, a suitable cardboard ring is fitted to thecontainer rim as a heightening frame to enable the application ofpadding material and stabilise the container statically. The spaceformed between the plate stack and the frame is filled with a softcardboard material. Up to ten centimetres of space have to be paddedwith this material to protect the plates reliably against shocks andshifting. Often, the amount of filling material required is one ton perday. Moreover, a soft cardboard material having a suitable size has tobe put on top of the plate stack to act as spacing and insulatingmaterial against the container cover. This is furthermoredisadvantageous in that, particularly when large-sized containers areinvolved, the softness of the material provides a shock-absorbing effectbut does not stabilise the container cover statically, thus making itimpossible to stack containers on top of each other or to pile otherheavy goods on top of the covers.

Apart from the procurement costs, the time-consuming andlabour-intensive method and the difficulties during transport andstorage, the large amount of filling material required of courseinvolves many other negative effects, such as an environmental andecological incompatibility and problems with waste disposal and wasteincineration, both for producers and the customers.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,795,083 describes a slotted partition apparatus forpackaging. In particular, U.S. Pat. No. 4,795,083 describes an assembledslotted partition apparatus for repeated use within three-dimensionalpackaging containers towards describing containment and cushioningregions therewithin. The apparatus is constructed so as to precludeagainst its own inadvertent disassembly between and during repeateduses, and relies upon the utilisation of primary and secondaryinterlocking panel members operably receiving one another through theutilisation of aligned slots. Primary and secondary spacer lockingelements align with each other upon assembly of the primary andsecondary panels to describe a partition apparatus in which allstructural portions remain intact for reuse in further shippingoperations, without any reassembly and/or reattachment of the primaryand/or secondary panels to one another.

Since plate-shaped goods, such as offset printing plates, are extremelysensitive to the influence of light and temperature fluctuations and,moreover, shocks and friction have to be prevented, a variety of newpackaging methods have been developed, tried and used within the lastfew years, the focus of interest being almost exclusively on the problemof light-proof packaging. The resulting series of quite specific andconsequently often very expensive inner packaging sets did solve theproblem of light and temperature sensitivity in a satisfactory manner;however, conventional containers having the aforementioned disadvantageswere still used as outer packaging sets. In this context, reference ismade to EP-A-1 081 550, EP-A-1 184 718, EP-A-1 207 122, EP-A-1 138 520,EP-A-0 744 344, EP-A-0 718 683, EP-A-0 292 007, EP-A-0 955 564, U.S.2001/0032797 and DE-A-195 26 335.

The present invention provides an improved packaging set and an improvedpackaging method.

The present invention provides a packaging structure comprising at leastfour partitions forming a frame if assembled which frame partitions arectangular reception area of variable size for the plate-shaped goodsto be packaged. Each partition comprises two opposing edges and at leasttwo partition slots that extend substantially perpendicular to saidedges. The at least two partition slots of the first. and fourthpartitions are arranged along one of said two opposing edges and extendsubstantially perpendicular to said one edge while the at least twopartition slots of the second and third partitions are arranged alongthe two opposing edges such that the partition slots are arranged alongone edge diagonally opposite the partition slots along the other edgeand extend perpendicular to said edges.

According to the packaging method of the present invention, first, apartition slot provided in an edge of the second partition is insertedinto a partition slot provided in the edge of the first partition wall.Then, a partition slot provided in an edge of the third partition isinserted into a partition slot provided in the other edge of the secondpartition. A partition slot provided in the edge of the fourth partitionis subsequently inserted into a partition slot provided in the otheredge of the third partition while a further partition slot provided inthe edge of the fourth partition is inserted into a further partitionslot provided in the edge of the first partition. In other words, thepartitions are interconnected circumferentially clockwise oranticlockwise.

The components of the packaging structure according to the presentinvention have standardised shapes although the plates to be packagedand dispatched have a variety of different formats or sizes. As afurther advantage, according to the present invention, the amount offilling material may be reduced to a minimum as compared to all knownpackaging methods without the danger of damage to the plate-shaped goodsto be packaged being increased. Moreover, the present inventionconsiderably eases the work of both the packaging crew and the customersunpacking the goods. Moreover, manual work during the packaging processis minimised, which complies with the general attempts to save costs byautomation. During the packaging process, only one person has to executefive short consecutive steps.

The plates may be stacked as required depending on the selected pallet.There is no need to select a suitably sized container since the insideof the packaging set is adapted to the format of the plates. The presentpackaging structure does not have to consist of any specific material.As long as the material exhibits sufficient strength and stiffness, itmay be selected depending on availability and market prices. Moreover,the packaging structure may both be recycled and reused for differentproducts because it remains undamaged when being unpacked.

The present invention provides for an outer packaging set and a methodfor industrial use, which set is multifunctional, of variable size, easyto handle, time- and cost-saving and, if possible, made of recyclablematerial so as to protect natural resources.

The present invention will be illustrated in the following withreference to the drawings, in which:

FIGS. 1 a and b show the packaging set according to the invention,wherein FIG. 1 a illustrates the arrangement of the components of thepackaging set during the assembly and FIG. 1 b shows a frame consistingof four plus two additional interleaving partitions;

FIG. 2 shows the arrangement, size and fixation of the base plate on thepallet;

FIG. 3 shows the base plate on the pallet with the frame consisting offour partitions thereon, wherein the inner rectangle formed by thepartitions forms the reception area for the plate-shaped goods to bepackaged;

FIG. 3 a shows a variety of possible sizes of the rectangular receptionarea that is formed by the four partitions of the packaging setaccording to the invention;

FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 show variations in the assembly of the four (or six)partitions according to the present invention. FIGS. 4 and 5 constitutea laterally reversed view of FIGS. 1 a and 1 b. In FIG. 6, the twoadditional partitions are set up to further partition the reception areain front of the four partitions forming the rectangular reception area;

FIGS. 7 to 9 show different possibilities of further partitioning therectangular reception area;

FIGS. 10 to 12 show a stack of plate-shaped goods, wherein in FIG. 10three partitions are arranged at three sides of the stack, in FIG. 11the cover is fixed to the pallet and in FIG. 12 a phantom view throughthe cover illustrates the static stabilisation by the frame formed byfour partitions;

FIGS. 13 to 16 show the four partitions in a preferred embodiment of thepresent invention, wherein the partitions 1 and 3 comprise 2×13partition slots and the partitions 2 and 4 comprise 2×9 partition slotsand all partitions are moreover provided with a central partition slotenabling a further partitioning of the reception area;

FIG. 17 show a conventional packaging set, wherein the space between theplate-shaped goods and the container is filled with cardboard; and

FIGS. 18 to 20 show three steps of the conventional packaging method.

In a preferred embodiment, the packaging set according to the presentinvention, as shown for example in FIGS. 1 to 3, comprises the followingcomponents: A base plate arranged on a pallet, a slotted longitudinalpartition 1, a slotted transversal partition 2, a slotted longitudinalpartition 3, a slotted longitudinal partition 4 and a cover. If thereception area formed by the four partitions 1 to 4 is to bepartitioned, a further longitudinal partition 1 and/or a furthertransversal partition 4 is required. The arrangement of the additionalpartitions 1 and/or 4 is shown in FIGS. 7 to 9. Preferably, the baseplate, the partitions and the cover are made of triple corrugatedcardboard.

All components of the packaging set are designed so as to beinterconnectable. The partitions preferably have a rectangular shape andall partitions that are parallel with respect to the slots have the sameside length. The longitudinal partitions 1 and 3 and the transversalpartitions 2 and 4 each have the same side length perpendicular to theslots. The exact dimensions of the partitions and the base plate and thecover are determined by the size of the pallet used.

The base plate is preferably fixed to the pallet by four screws toprevent the bottom plate from sliding. The size of the bottom plate isselected such that the pallet projects over the rim of the base plate sothat the edge of the cover rests on the pallet and the cover is held ina fixed position by the bottom plate and prevented from shifting.Preferably, the edge of the cover should be flush with the edges of thepallet. The partitions are fitted into each other on the bottom plate.The side lengths of the partitions in the direction perpendicular to theslots are adapted to the size of the bottom plate. The partitions form arectangular inner area that serves as reception area for theplate-shaped goods to be packaged. The arrangement of the plate-shapedgoods is shown in FIGS. 3 to 10.

FIGS. 13 to 16 show a preferred embodiment of partitions 1 to 4. In thisembodiment, the partitions have a multitude of partition slots 111, 112,211, 212, 311, 312, 411, 412 along the respective edges 11, 21, 22, 31,32, 42. Thus, the size of the formed reception area is variable by theselection of the slots that are used for fitting the partitions intoeach other. In particular, each of the partitions shown in the Figuresis provided with two groups having the same number of partition slotswhich are spaced apart from each other by the same distance. In theexample shown, each of the longitudinal partitions 1 and 3 is providedwith 2×13 slots and each of the transversal slots 2 and 4 is providedwith 2×9 slots. The position of the partition slots relative to theedges parallel to the direction in which the slots extend is the same ineach of the longitudinal partitions 1 and 3 and the transversalpartitions 2 and 4.

Preferably, each of the partitions is provided with a slot in the centreof the edge along which the partition slots are arranged for receivingadditional partitions. These additional slots serve for receivingfurther partitions of the type of the first or fourth partition 1 or 4for partitioning the reception area formed by the partitions. FIGS. 1 b,5 and 6 and in particular FIGS. 7 to 9 show different options ofarranging additional partitions.

The partition slots should have a length that is suitable for fittingthe partitions completely into each other. Preferably, each of thepartition slots has a length that at least corresponds to half thelength of the edge parallel to the partition slots.

The multitude of possible sizes of the reception area formed by the fourpartitions shown in FIGS. 13 to 16 is illustrated in FIG. 3 a. By theuse of further partitions for partitioning the reception area, thereception area according to FIGS. 7 to 9 is cut into halves or quartersin the longitudinal or transversal direction. If, for example, thepartitions shown in FIGS. 13 to 16 are used, more than 400 differentformats may be obtained. If additional partitions are used forlongitudinal and transversal partitioning, the number of differentpossibilities doubles or quadruples. Thus a great multitude ofdifferently sized plate-shaped goods can safely be packaged with thesame packaging set.

The height of the cover is adapted to the side lengths of the partitionsparallel to the direction in which the slots extend. The size of thereception area is variable as a function of the partition arrangementwithout any change to the size of the bottom plate and the cover. Thespaces between the reception area and the cover serve as a shockabsorber. The sizes of these outer areas vary as a function of the sizeselected for the reception area. These areas serve as shock absorbers sothat there is no need of any additional padding or filling material.

The packaging set is assembled beginning with the setup of thelongitudinal partition 1 whereupon the partitions 2 to 4 are eitherinserted clockwise as shown in FIG. 1 a or anticlockwise as shown inFIG. 4. The lengths of the longitudinal and transversal partitionscorrespond to the longitudinal and transversal side lengths of thebottom plate. The partitions 2 to 4 are consecutively inserted into thedesired slots from the top.

If the stack of plate-shaped goods is provided on the bottom platealready before the assembly of the partitions, the partitions arearranged around the stack. The stack does not have to be centrallyarranged on the bottom plate. Since the frame of slotted interleavablepartitions is consecutively arranged around the stack, it is sufficientif the stack is arranged parallel to the bottom plate. As evident fromFIG. 10, the stack is easily accessible from any side during theassembly depending on the order in which the partitions are arranged.

If additional partitions for partitioning the reception area areprovided, they may be inserted from the top upon the complete assemblyof the frame. To this end, there has to be enough space between thevariety of joints arranged on the bottom plate, which space correspondsto the thickness of the partitions. In order to facilitate the packagingof small plate-shaped goods, the assembly can be started with thepartitions for partitioning the reception area. This is shown in FIG. 6.To this end, the partitions 1 and 4 are arranged crosswise on the bottomplate, the slotted sections pointing to the top. The plate-shaped goodsare then arranged along the edges of the cross thus formed, whereuponthe partitions 1 to 4 are assembled around the stack of plate-shapedgoods. In contrast to the aforementioned method, however, the order inwhich the partitions are inserted is reversed, i.e. starting withpartition 4. Moreover, the partitions are inserted upside down, i.e. thebottom surface showing to the top.

The packaging set may be completely assembled by one person in less thantwo minutes. Any further assistance is unnecessary since the packagingset or the frame formed of the partitions does not have to be lifted atany time during the complete assembly.

Padding or filling material is not required since the interleavableframe tightly encloses the plate-shaped goods and the outer ends of thepartitions are fixated at a distance to the side walls of the cover soas to protect against shocks and shifting. Since the partitions supportthe cover also to the top, a static stabilisation is achieved also inthis direction. Thus, as soon as the cover is assembled and the completepackaging set is fixed to the pallet, the internal frame structure isfixated and protects the packaged goods against shifting and shocks.

The packaging set of the present invention may prove useful wherever amultitude of sensitive plate-shaped goods of different sizes, such asoffset printing plates, has to be shipped without excessive expenditureof material, the packaging process has to be automated and/or simplifiedand standard pallets are used to facilitate transport.

1-11. (canceled)
 12. A packaging structure, comprising a first, asecond, a third and a fourth partition, wherein each partition isprovided with two opposite edges and at least two partition slots,wherein the at least two partition slots of the first partition arearranged along one of the two opposite edges and extend essentiallyperpendicular to the one edge; wherein the at least two partition slotsof the second partition are arranged along the two opposite edges suchthat the partition slots along one edge are diagonally opposite thepartition slots along the other edge and extend essentiallyperpendicular to the edges; wherein the at least two partition slots ofthe third partition along the two opposite edges are arranged such thatthe partition slots along one edge are diagonally opposite the partitionslots along the other edge and extend essentially perpendicular to theedges; wherein the at least two partition slots of the fourth partitionare arranged along one of the two opposite edges and extend essentiallyperpendicular to the one edge; and wherein the first partitioncomprising at least two partition slots is connectable to a partitionslot in an edge of the second partition, the second partition comprisinga diagonal partition slot in the other edge is connectable to apartition slot in an edge of the third partition, the third partitioncomprising a diagonal partition slot in the other edge is connectable toa partition slot in an edge of the fourth partition, and the fourthpartition comprising another partition slot in the edge of the fourthpartition is connectable to another partition slot in the firstpartition.
 13. The packaging structure according to claim 12, whereinthe packaging structure moreover comprises a bottom plate and a cover.14. The packaging structure according to claim 12, wherein thepartitions are rectangular and the edges perpendicular to the partitionsof the first and third partitions have the same length and the edgesperpendicular to the partition slots of the second and fourth partitionshave the same length.
 15. The packaging structure according to claim 12,wherein the edges of the partitions in the direction of the partitionslots have the same length.
 16. The packaging structure according toclaim 12, wherein the first and the third partition are each providedwith the same number of partition slots and wherein the second and thefourth partition each have the same number of partition slots.
 17. Thepackaging structure according to claim 13, wherein the edgesperpendicular to the slots of the first and third partitions have thesame length as the side length of the bottom plate in the longitudinaldirection and the edges perpendicular to the slots of the second andfourth partitions have the same length as the side length of the bottomplate in the transversal direction.
 18. The packaging structureaccording to claim 13, wherein the length of the edges parallel to thedirection of the slots of the first to fourth partitions corresponds tothe height of the cover.
 19. The packaging structure according to claim12, wherein each of the partitions is additionally provided with acentral slot arranged in the center of one of the opposite edges andextends essentially perpendicular to the edge.
 20. The packagingstructure according to claim 19, wherein the packaging structure ismoreover provided with a fifth or sixth partition, wherein the fifthpartition has the same features as the first partition and the sixthpartition has the same features as the fourth partition.
 21. A packagingmethod preferably for packing plate-shaped goods comprising the stepsof: a) providing a packaging structure comprising a first, a second, athird and a fourth partition, wherein each partition is provided withtwo opposite edges, and at least two partition slots, wherein the atleast two partition slots of the first partition are arranged along oneof the two opposite edges and extend essentially perpendicular to theone edge; wherein the at least two partition slots of the secondpartition are arranged along the two opposite edges such that thepartition slots along one edge are diagonally opposite the partitionslots along the other edge and extend essentially perpendicular to theedges; wherein the at least two partition slots of the third partitionalong the two opposite edges are arranged such that the partition slotsalong one edge are diagonally opposite the partition slots along theother edge and extend essentially perpendicular to the edges; whereinthe at least two partition slots of the fourth partition are arrangedalong one of the two opposite edges and extend essentially perpendicularto the one edge; and wherein the first partition comprising at least twopartition slots is connectable to a partition slot in an edge of thesecond partition, the second partition comprising a diagonal partitionslot in the other edge is connectable to a partition slot in an edge ofthe third partition, the third partition comprising a diagonal partitionslot in the other edge is connectable to a partition slot in an edge ofthe fourth partition, and the fourth partition comprising anotherpartition slot in the edge of the fourth partition is connectable toanother partition slot in the first partition; b) inserting a partitionslot provided in an edge of the second partition into a partition slotprovided in the edge of the first partition; c) inserting a partitionslot provided in an edge of the third partition into a partition slotprovided in the other edge of the second partition; d) inserting apartition slot provided in the edge of the fourth partition into apartition slot provided in the other edge of the third partition; and e)simultaneously inserting a further partition slot provided in the edgeof the fourth partition into a further partition slot provided in theedge of the first partition.
 22. The method according to claim 21,wherein in step a) a fifth or a sixth partition is provided, wherein themethod further comprises the steps of: f) simultaneously inserting apartition slot provided in an edge of the fifth partition into thecentral slot provided in the second partition and a further partitionslot provided in the fifth partition into the central slot provided inthe fourth partition; or g) simultaneously inserting a partition slotprovided in the sixth partition into the central slot provided in thefirst partition and a further partition slot provided in the edge of thesixth partition into the central slot of the third partition.
 23. Themethod of claim 22, wherein in steps (f) and (g) both the fifth andsixth partitions are inserted into slots in the second and fourthpartitions and in the first and third partitions, respectively.